A gasket is a mechanical seal that fills the space between mating surfaces, generally to prevent leakage of a fluid from or into the joined objects while the gasket is under compression. Gaskets permit “less-than-perfect” mating surfaces on machine parts to be joined without allowing leakage by using a gasket to fill surface irregularities. Gaskets are commonly produced from sheet or molded materials such as paper, rubber, silicone, or a plastic polymer. Some gaskets require an application of sealant directly to the gasket surface to function properly.
In situations where a joint between two mating components is pressurized, sealing of such a joint becomes even more challenging. Additionally, in such pressurized joints, any unintended fluid leakage may lead to functional failure of a system thus being sealed. Typically, such leakage may cause additional inconvenience by creating a fluid spill that necessitates a clean-up. Design and selection of a gasket for a particular application may thus prove critical to the reliability of a subject system and to the satisfaction of the system's user.